ELA, LAB, ESK, Steilas, Etxalde and Hiru have registered in the parliaments of Gasteiz and Iruña two popular legislative initiatives in favor of an ‘own’ Minimum Interprofessional Wage (SMI) that reflects ‘the socio-economic and trade union reality’ of both areas.
The unions ELA, LAB, ESK, Steilas, Etxalde and Hiru have joined forces in the fight for one own minimum wage and today they took the first step on that path with the registration of paths popular legislative initiatives in the Basque Parliament and in the Parliament of Navarre. The centers believe that “the path of the Popular Legislative Initiative and an Interprofessional Agreement are complementary.”
As explained in a statement, by registering the legislative initiatives they are trying to ensure that the administrations of both areas “have done that”. ability to regulate the legal minimum wage”. The trade unions believe that the introduction of the minimum wage “has a protective dimension for the working class”, since this type of wage is introduced in all those activities that do not have the minimum reference guaranteed by collective bargaining or in those for which that reference is lower.
Furthermore, they stated that the minimum wage should “generally guarantee a sufficiently high level of all salaries”. At the same time, they estimate that “the minimum wage, as an instrument of social and economic policy, is also a mechanism for wealth distribution and social cohesion, reducing the number of people below the poverty line and promoting wage bargaining.” upwards, even in sectors with higher conditions than the legal ones.”
ELA, LAB, ESK, Steilas, Etxalde and Hiru also emphasized that when determining the amount of the SMI for Hego Euskal Herria “different criteria can be used”, always bearing in mind that “the Spanish stated amount is “very far from guaranteeing decent living conditions for the workers of Hego Euskal Herria”. In this sense, they believe that “a new SMI that will reflect the socio-economic and trade union reality of Hego Euskal Herria reflects, would also be a progress towards sovereigntyand towards the configuration of a Basque industrial relations framework”.
“I respect”
For his part, the Second Vice President and Minister of Economy of the Basque Government, Labor and Employment, Michael Torreshas emphasized the “firm” commitment of the Basque government to create the necessary conditions so that employers and unions can reach an inter-professional agreement at a negotiating table to establish a minimum wage for Euskadi. For example, Torres has shown his “respect” for the legislative initiatives that the unions have registered.
During the press conference after the Government Council, the counselor reiterated that the Basque executive is already working on this commitment, although he recalled that it is up to the social and economic actors to reach an agreement. He also reminded that his department has an isocio-economic and socio-labor report to establish an amount of what could be the Basque SMI, which will be attempted to be announced in the first quarter of this year.
He also clarified that for fixing this salary it is not necessary to claim any jurisdiction of the state, but it can be carried out through an agreement between employers and trade unions.
Source: EITB
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